THE   HOUSE  OF  A 
HUNDRED  LIGHTS 


THE-HOVSE-OFA 
HVNDRED-LIGHTS 

BY  FREDERIC- RIDGELY-TORRENCE 


SMALL-MAYNARD  ©'COMPANY 

BOSTON 

1900 


COPYRIGHT  1899  BY 

SMALL,  MAYNARD  6*  COMPANY 

(INCORPORATED) 


TO  EDMUND  CLARENCE  STEDMAN 
WITH  REVERENCE  AND  LOVE 


701)967 


THE  HOUSE  OF  A  HUNDRED 
LIGHTS:   A  PSALM  OF  EXPE 
RIENCE    AFTER    READING 
A  COUPLET  OF  BIDPAI 
i 

On  the  pond's  face,  the  pelting  rain 
made  bubbles,  and  they  broke  again, 

And  reappeared  and  disappeared 
and,  ah!  I  knew  them  —  they  were  men. 

2 

The  wise  men  say  that  life's  not  worth 
a  barley-corn  when  all  is  done. 

Well  then— and  not  till  then— I'll  try 
the  granary  behind  the  sun. 

3 

"  Doubt  everything,"  the  Thinker  said 

when  I  was  parch'd  with  Reason's  drought. 
Said  he,  "  Trust  me,  I've  probed  these  things; 
have  utter  faith  in  me,  — and  doubt!  " 


4 

"  Though  the  sky  reel  and  Day  dissolve, 
and  though  a  myriad  suns  fade  out, 
One  thing  of  Earth  seems  permanent 
and  founded  on  Belief :  'tis  —  Doubt. 

5 

The  world's  great  rule  is,  "  Give  and  take"; 

and,  so  that  Custom  may  not  smother, 
I'll  give  Doubt  freely  with  one  hand 

and  take  Faith  freely  by  the  other. 

6 

Yes,  He  that  wove  the  skein  of  Stars 
and  poured  out  all  the  seas  that  are 

Is  Wheel  and  Spinner  and  the  Flax, 
and  Boat  and  Steersman  and  the  Star. 

7 

What !  doubt  the  Master  Workman's  hand 
because  my  fleshly  ills  increase  ? 

No ;  for  there  still  remains  one  chance 
that  I  am  not  His  Masterpiece. 


8 

Out  of  all  Epicurus'  train 
I  wonder  which  class  is  sincerest : 

The  drones,  or  workers,  who  believe 
this  doctrine  of  "  Believe-The-Nearest." 

9 

Though  man  or  angel  judge  my  life 
and  read  it  like  an  open  scroll, 

And  weigh  my  heart,  I  have  a  judge 
more  just  than  any  —  my  own  soul. 

10 

The  Great  Inn  Keeper's  table  is 
the  whole  green  face  of  Earth,  and  so 

I  sit  at  meat  with  Him  nor  care 
whether  the  Guest  be  friend  or  foe. 

11 

The  wise  man  said,  "  Beware  of  Love ; 

behold,  its  end  is  Ash  and  Rue !  " 
"  Ho,  ho,"  cried  Youth,  "  this  heart  of  mine 
is  braver  than  I  ever  knew." 


12 

Last  night  I  heard  a  wanton  girl 
call  softly  down  unto  her  lover, 

Or  call  at  least  unto  the  shade 
of  Cypress  where  she  knew  he'd  hover. 

13 
Said  she,  "  Come  forth,  my  Perfect  One; 

the  old  bugs  sleep  and  take  their  ease : 
We  shall  have  honey  overmuch 

without  the  buzzing  of  the  bees." 

14 

Ah,  Foolish  Ones,  1  heard  your  vows 
and  whispers  underneath  the  tree. 

Her  father  is  more  wakeful  than 
she  ever  dreamed,  for  I — was  he. 

15 

I  saw  them  kissing  in  the  shade 
and  knew  the  sum  of  all  my  lore : 

God  gave  them  Youth,  God  gave  them  Love, 
and  even  God  can  give  no  more. 


16 

At  first,  she  loved  nought  else  but  flowers, 
and  then  —  she  only  loved  the  Rose, 

And  then  —  herself  alone,  and  then  — 
she  knew  not  what,  but  now  —  she  knows. 

17 

Ah,  Flattery,  thou'rt  like  a  comb 
with  double  face  and  double  tongue, 

These  women  wear  thee  on  their  brows 
like  an  asp  coiled  where  it  stung. 

18 

The  lies  men  tell  I  can  see  through  - 
they  hold  no  more  than  does  a  sieve : 

But  women's  lies  hold  like  the  sea, 
and  like  it  surge  and  swell  and  live. 

19 

Hot  Youth,  to  know  Contented  Love, 
must  first  bide  Slander's  rude  caress, 

And  learn  to  quench  his  Fire-of-Rage 
in  Water-of- Babes-Gentleness. 


20 

The  night  passed  and  some  youths  caroused 
and  some  poor  Fakir  kept  his  fast : 

Some  lovers  kissed,  some  graves  were  dug, 
all  the  same  night,  and  the  night — passed. 

21 

I  know  not  from  the  fading  Rose 
with  parted  lips  what  whisper  went. 

I  only  know  the  Nightingale 
Sang  once  again  his  old  lament. 

22 

A  nightingale  once  lost  his  voice 
from  too  much  love,  and  he  who  flees 

From  Thirst  to  Wine-of-his-Desire 
must  not  forget  the  last  —  the  lees. 

23 

Night  is  a  woman  vaguely  veiled 
and  made  to  woo,  I  see  her  now : 

The  newborn  moon  is  suddenly 

her  slender,  golden,  arched  eyebrow. 


24 

I  know  a  Thief  who  longs  to  steal 
from  the  moon's  granary  on  high 

Or  snatch  the  bunch  of  Pleiades 
from  out  the  cornfield  of  the  sky. 

25 

Desire's  gold  gates  are  always  barred 
and  open  at  no  call  or  knock. 

Age  knows  the  only  key  is  Pain , 
but  Youth  still  thinks  to  force  the  lock. 

26 

You  invalids  who  cannot  drink 

much  wine  or  love,  I  say  to  you : 
"  Content  yourselves  with  laughing  at 
the  antics  of  the  fools  who  do." 

27 

Bad-Liver  says  each  morning's  sun 
is  but  to  him  a  juggling  bawd 

That  opens  up  for  man's  deceit 
only  another  chest  of  fraud. 


28 

Old  Ash-in-Blood  still  deals  advice 
to  Rose-of- Youth,  and  as  he  deals  it, 

Rolls  piously  his  eyes ;  but  ah ! 
he  knows  the  pain  whose  body  feels  it. 

29 

"  Now  (to  be  brief),"  the  Preacher  said, 
"  each  chose,  himself,  the  path  he's  wending ; 
But  has  each  thought  upon  the  end  ?  " 
And  Youth  said,  "Is  there  then  an  ending?" 

30 

Five  senses  have  been  given  us 
but  while  Youth  pipes  its  roundelay 

They  are  five  open  doors  through  which 
both  Love  and  Life  may  slip^away. 

31 

Youth  dreamed  that  Chaos  swallowed  Space, 
Time's  iron  chain  was  snapped  like  rope, 

Eternity  passed,  and  was  gone, 
yet  after  all  these  things  came  —  Hope. 


32 

But  now  where  is  that  faggot-heap 
of  hope  wherewith  my  youth  began  ? 

Fate  was  the  flint  and  Time  the  steel 
that  kindled  every  thought  and  plan. 

33 

In  youth  my  head  was  hollow,  like 
a  gourd,  not  knowing  good  from  ill ; 

Now,  though  't  is  long  since  then,  I'm  like 
a  reed,  —  wind-shaken  —  hollow  still. 

34 

The  reader  in  Life's  mighty  book, 
in  quest  of  Happiness,  the  bubble, 

Ne'er  sees  the  Writing  of  Content 
without  the  heavy  blot  of  Trouble. 

35 

The  same  small  windows  light  all  lives 
whether  they  be  of  rich  or  poor : 

A  sigh,  a  laugh,  some  wine,  a  sleep, 
a  tear,  and  then  —  the  open  door. 


36 

Yes,  we  do  sleep  and  dream  and  laugh, 
and  yes,  we  wake  and  work  and  sigh ; 

I  simply  mumble  now,  "  We  do"; 
the  watchword  of  my  youth  was, "  Why?" 

37 
Age  lays  its  ear  unto  the  lips 

of  Mortal- Man 's-Experience 
And  only  drinks  the  four  faint  words 

of  Where  and  How  and  Why  and  Whence. 

38 

Tell  Youth  to  play  with  Wine  and  Love 
and  never  bear  away  the  scars ! 

1  may  as  well  tilt  up  the  sky 
and  yet  try  not  to  spill  the  stars. 

39 

Yet  even  for  Youth's  fevered  blood 

there  is  a  certain  balm  here  in 
This  maiden's  mouth :  O  sweet  disease ! 

and  happy,  happy  medicine  ! 


40 

And  maiden,  should  these  bitter  tears 
you  shed  be  burdensome,  know  this : 

There  is  a  cure  worth  all  the  pain 
—  to-night  —  beneath  the  moon — a  kiss. 

41 

Girl,  when  he  gives  you  kisses  twain, 
use  one,  and  let  the  other  stay  ; 

And  hoard  it,  for  moons  die,  red  fades, 
and  you  may  need  a  kiss  —  some  day. 

42 

One  says,  "  Truth's  false  and  false  is  true." 
Well,  since  I've  seen  this  maiden's  eyes, 

I'll  be  so  false  as  to  be  true, 
and  such  a  fool  as  to  be  wise. 

43 
These  three  have  never  yet  been  bought 

or  sold  within  the  market  place,  — 
Good  Luck  or  Love  or  Youth  for  gold 

of  any  of  the  populace. 


44 

Said  one  young  foolish  mouth  with  words 

as  many  as  the  desert  sands, 
"  My  grandfather  took  daily  baths 

in  rose  water,  just  smell  my  hands !  " 

45 

When  priests  give  draughts  of  Duty's  bowl 
and  all  streams  that  proceed  from  thence, 

The  old  men  do  not  drink  with  youths : 
they  drink  Advice,  the  young  —  Offense. 

46 

Brothers,  to-day  Time  set  a  feast, 
for  this  day  Summer  was  begun; 

And  by  a  priest  called  Equinox 
the  Year  was  married  to  the  Sun. 

47 

And  now  young  poets  will  arise 
and  burst  Earth's  fetters  link  by  link, 

And  mount  the  Skies  of  Poesy, 
and  daub  Time's  helpless  wings  with  ink  ! 


48 

In  youth  I  wrote  a  song  so  great, 
I  thought  that,  like  a  flaring  taper, 

T  would  shine  abroad,  —  and  so  it  did, 
to  the  four  corners  of  the  —  paper. 

49 

And  poet,  should  you  think  your  songs 

must  or  even  will  be  read, 
Bethink  thee,  friend,  what  fine  springs  rise 

impotently  from  the  sea's  bed. 

50 

Fame  sets  the  pace :  the  more  you  chase, 
the  more  she'll  turn  and  taunt  and  flee, 

Till  you  stand  breathless  at  the  goal 
and  read  its  name,  "  Obscurity." 

51 

I  did  not  hate  that  orator 
of  many  words  for  what  he  said  : 

1  only  thought  it  just  some  old 
quaint  game  his  tongue  played  with  his 
head. 


52 

I  marveled  at  the  speaker's  tongue 
and  marveled  more  as  he  unrolled  it. 

How  strange  a  thing  it  was,  and  yet, 
how  much  more  strange  if  he  could  hold  it ! 

53 
A  little  Judge  once  said  to  me : 

"Behold,  my  friend,  /caused  these  laws!" 
But  I  knew  One  who,  strange  to  say, 

had  been  the  Causer  of  this  Cause. 

54 

And  my  conceited  friend,  be  sure 
when  you  sleep,  others  will  arouse ; 

For  the  Great  Landlord  can't  endure 
to  have  no  tenants  in  His  house. 

55 

Many  a  word  caused  many  a  tear 
between  the  rise  and  set  of  sun ; 

Many  a  sound  caused  many  a  sigh 
but  Silence  rarely  caused  a  one. 


56 

The  Tabor  is  the  noisiest 
of  instruments,  but  take  the  pest 

And  crack  his  hide  and  peer  within, 
you'll  find  his  heart  is  hollowest. 

57 

Uhfus  rehearsed  before  his  goat, 
and  practiced  speech  each  day  above  it, 

Until  his  fame  spread  far  and  wide, 
and  yet  —  the  goat  —  knew  nothing  of  it. 

58 

The  villagers  laugh  at  their  fool, 

and  roar  and  cough  and  shake  and  nurse 
Their  aching  sides,  then  laugh  again ; 

but  he  —  laughs  at  the  villagers. 

59 

This  raindrop  makes  me  dream  brave  dreams 

of  how  to  overcome  the  sea : 
The  drop's  far  wiser  head  dreams  too 

its  dream,  Impossibility. 


60 

When  I'm  in  health  and  asked  to  choose 
between  the  This  and  That,  alas ! 

I  all  too  gladly  yield  my  throne 
up  there  beside  the  Sea  of  Glass. 

61 

The  Song  of  Love,  the  Song  of  Hate, 
the  Songs  of  Praise  and  of  Thanksgiving; 

I've  learned  them  all,  but  there  remains 
one  called  the  Melody  of  Living. 

62 

A  strong,  brave  man  is  born  each  month, 
each  year  God  gives  a  sage  to  men, 

A  poet  each  ten  years,  perhaps, 
but  an  unselfish  person,  —  when  ? 

63 

Sometimes  I  think  that  all  mankind 
exist  but  to  be  bought  and  sold : 

The  rich  man's  paramour  is  gold, 
the  poor  man's  goddess,  gold,  gold,  gold. 


64 

Whatever  Juice  this  sky  will  pour 
this  gaping  parched  old  throat  will  drain 

What  time  the  Harper  harps  I'll  dance : 
'tis  He,  not  I,  who  shall  complain. 

65 

Meal  may  be  scarce  and  cakes  be  burnt, 
yet  I  weep  not  nor  even  scold : 

The  sun  is  food  enough  for  me, 
't  is  large,  and  has  not  yet  grown  cold. 

66 

And  yet,  when  eventide  comes  on 
I  know  that  I'll  be  glad  to  take 

A  little  wine  with  snow,  and  yes 
(after  the  sun) ,  a  little  cake. 

67 

Why !  'mongst  all  languages  of  earth 
there's  none  so  sweet  nor  yet  so  fine 

As  that  one  spoken  daily  thrice 
by  two  and  thirty  teeth  of  mine. 


68 

Yet  what  have  I  to  do  with  sweets 
like  Love,  or  Wine,  or  Fame's  dear  curse? 

For  I  can  do  without  all  things 
except  —  except  the  universe. 

69 

The  sieve-like  cup  of  Earthly  Joy 
still  foams  for  me  with  many  a  bead, 

But  I  have  found  another  wine 
called  Charity-without-a- Creed. 

70 

And  if  I  want  to  sleep,  I'll  sleep 
more  than  Religion's  laws  allow. 

We'll  have  a  long  sleep  in  the  grave 
erelong ;  and  should  we  not  learn  how  ? 

71 

Whether  my  days  are  cooled  with  calm 
or  filled  with  fever's  ardent  taint, 

I  have  the  same  blue  sky  as  God, 
1  have  the  same  God  as  the  saint. 


72 

When  strangers  sit  at  meat  with  me, 
e'en  though  they  be  of  rich  condition, 

And  all  their  words  be  feasts,  I'll  take 
them  with  the  little  spice— Suspicion. 

73 
In  all  the  undertakings  I 

have  entered  in,  my  stratagem 
Has  been  to  widen  carefully 

some  gap  for  getting  out  of  them. 

74 

I  answer  to  the  riddle  of 

"  How  many  men  on  earth  should  be?" 
"  For  friends,  a  billion  are  too  few ; 
for  enemies,  —  one  surfeits  me." 

75 

I  make  no  truce  with  cunning  foes, 
beneath  their  sweetest  words  lurk  thorns, 

But  with  all  fools  I  am  at  peace : 
whoever  saw  an  ass  with  horns  ? 


76 

Though  all  I  was  seems  but  a  dream, 
and  all  I  am,  not  worth  a  sigh, 

If  all  that  I  possess  is  —  friends, 
well,  all  1  wish  is  —  not  to  die. 

77 

1  give  God  praise  because  of  right, 
and  fear,  for  terrors  that  He  sends ; 

But  more  than  all,  I  give  Him  love 
because  He  gave  to  me  —  my  friends. 

78 

When  I  get  wounds  from  enemies 

I  try  not  to  lament  a  bit : 
The  tree  that  bears  not  any  fruit, 

who  ever  threw  a  stone  at  it  ? 

79 

When  Fortune  sits  at  meat  with  me 
and  lights  my  fire  and  tolls  my  bell, 

Be  very  sure  I'll  soon  collect 
all  scattered  Means -of -doing- Well. 


80 

Ye  wily  ones  think  not  to  thwart 
what  warrant  Destiny  hath  signed  ; 

For  just  before  he  strikes,  he  makes 
the  cunningest  both  deaf  and  blind. 

81 

But  work  a  year  and  sleep  an  hour, 
and  sleep  a  night  and  sing  a  day, 

And  take  a  little  wine  and  love, 
and  when  you  feel  religious  —  pray. 

82 

So  far,  alas,  the  desert  bears 
the  Caravan  of  the  Wise  and  Just, 

The  wind  brings  to  these  foolish  ones 
no  sound  of  it,  nor  scent,  nor  dust. 

83 

For  some  are  beasts  and  some  are  men 
in  these  new  days  as  in  the  olden, 

For  neither  now  nor  evermore 
will  gold  be  clay  or  clay  be  golden. 


84 

Think  not  such  sterile  leaves  of  chaff 

have  ever  yet  escaped  the  flail, 
For  on  Fate's  dreadful  threshing  floor 

Contrivance  is  of  no  avail. 

85 

Sea  fathoms  deep  midst  gold  and  gems 
Life  sits  and  weeps  on  ocean's  floor, 

But  though  on  land  no  treasure  is, 
Life  laughs  and  stands — I'll  stay  on  shore. 

86 

I  envied  the  brown  diver  when 
he  brought  the  pearl  to  where  I  read, 

But  envy  had  not  known  my  heart 
when  the  green  waves  closed  o'er  his  head. 

87 

E'en  though  1  be  but  thorns  and  dust 
the  Gard'ner  gives  me  as  He  goes 

Such  rains  and  suns,  I  give  Him  blooms, 
yes  —  perchance  —  even  —  a  Rose. 


88 

Whether  I  be  a  blossom  for 
the  Gardener's  nostrils  I  care  not ; 

Mayhap  I'll  be  the  stick  of  wood 
that  feeds  the  fire  to  boil  His  pot. 

89 

Now  Patience  is  the  hurtfullest 
of  all  the  thorns  my  Garden  wears, 

And  yet  the  sweetest  of  them  all 
is  the  white  bud  that  Patience  bears. 

90 

This  mess  of  cracked  ice,  stones  and  bread 
of  sweetness  savours  not  a  bit, 

And  yet  my  friends,  I'm  satisfied, 
f or  lo !  1  —  I  —  invented  it ! 

91 

When  my  desire  has  set  itself 
upon  a  thing  and  strives  to  win  it, 

And  Wisdom's  method's  will  not  gain, 
I  use  a  little  Folly  in  it. 


92 

Now  all  ye  slothful  ones,  who  fear 
Death's  nearing  goal,  take  heart  of  grace: 

Who  never  went  upon  the  road 
will  never  reach  the  halting  place. 

93 
Let  me  once  see  my  Spring  of  Hope 

clad  in  her  clinging,  light  green  dress, 
Then  I,  for  one,  will  aye  endure 

my  yellow  Autumns  of  Distress. 

94 

Now  who  will  undertake  to  tie 
this  broken  strand  of  yellow  hair  ? 

Ah !  Is  it  tied,  and  strong  ?  But  friend, 
forget  not  this, — the  knot  is  there. 

95 

Sometimes  1  think  man's  fate  is  like 
a  weather  vane  with  circling  base 

That  points  now  north, now  south,  now  turns, 
blown  by  the  winds  of  Time  and  Space. 


96 

The  Great  Sword  Bearer  only  knows 
just  when  He'll  wound  my  heart,  not  I: 

But  since  He  is  the  one  who  gives 
the  balm,  what  does  it  signify  ? 

97 

If  my  Control  should  lose  its  hold 
on  Fortune's  collar  through  some  hurt, 

What  then?  — Why  then  I'd  simply  cling 
to  old  grey  Resignation's  skirt. 

98 

Of  all  the  languages  of  earth 
in  which  the  human  kind  confer 

The  Master  Speaker  is  the  Tear: 
it  is  the  Great  Interpreter. 

99 

Man's  life  is  like  a  tide  that  weaves 

the  sea  within  its  daily  web. 
It  rises,  surges,  swells  and  grows, 

— a  pause — then  comes  the  evening  ebb. 


100 

In  this  rough  field  of  earthly  life 
I  have  reaped  cause  for  tears  enough, 

Yet  after  all,  1  think  I've  gleaned 
my  modicum  of  Laughing-Stuff. 


OF  THIS  FIRST  EDITION  OF  THE 
HOUSE  OFAHUNDRED  LIGHTS  BY 
FREDERIC  RIDGELEY TORRENCE 
WITH  DECORATIONS  AND  COVER 
DESIGN  BY  BERTRAM  GROSVENOR 
GOODHUE  SEVEN  HUNDRED  AND 
FIFTY  COPIES  HAVE  BEEN  PRINTED 
FROM  TYPE  FOR  SMALL  MAYNARD 
&COMPANYATTHEHEINTZEMANN 
PRESS  IN  BOSTON  U.S.A.  IN  THE 
MONTH  OF  NOVEMBER  MDCCCXCIX 


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